VICTORIA'S best country footballers could have a major presence on the AFL stage next season when the biennial Australian Country Championships return to the state after a 10-year absence.
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Planning is well under way to have the pool A grand final played at the MCG and the pool B decider played at the nearby Punt Rd Oval.
Victorian Country Football League chief executive Glenn Scott is president of the Australian Country Football Council which organises the championships.
Victoria will host the titles for the first time since 1998 when they were played at Bendigo and under plans submitted to the AFL, the preliminary games will be played at a regional centre before the grand finals are played in Melbourne.
The titles will be played on the last weekend in July next year and Victoria is the reigning national champion after regaining the title in thrilling fashion on the Gold Coast last year.
Victorian Country recently beat the Victorian Amateurs with the bulk of the successful team to come under consideration for the squad next year, most likely to be coached by former Richmond and Collingwood player Kevin Morris.
The Victorian districts league team, which plays South Australia at Stawell tomorrow, also plays in Pool B of the titles.
"I've been working pretty hard with the AFL to have them built into the calendar next year which will be part of the 150-year celebrations of footy," Scott said.
"Also, the week of the Australian country carnival becomes a celebration of the contribution country footy has made to the national game.
"Nothing is official yet, but the AFL is very receptive.
"The reason it can't be nailed down at the moment is that part of next year's (AFL) calendar will include state-of-origin.”
The preliminary games are most likely to be played at Ballarat or Bendigo.
"The aim would be to have everything washed up by 2pm, book a room at the MCG where we can do the awards and presentations and announce the All-Australian team," Scott said.
"Even to the point where I would like to see the All-Australian team put up on the scoreboard during the AFL game being played on that particular day."
Article first appeared: 28 July 2007 Herald Sun